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Aston Villa are hopeful of signing Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur before Monday’s transfer deadline.

That’s according to The Telegraph’s John Percy, and as to be expected, the update has had a number of Villa fans talking.

The Midlands club have been busy this month, finalising moves for Philippe Coutinho, Lucas Digne and Robin Olsen while also adding Kerr Smith to their academy ranks.

Steven Gerrard still wants a centre-back and a holding midfielder, though, with an approach made for Bentancur over the weekend.

Percy claimed on Tuesday that Villa were hopeful of striking an agreement with Juventus and may look to bring in a centre-back on loan over the coming days. The reliable reporter touted an £18m figure for Bentancur, with Luis Suarez providing Gerrard with a glowing review of his international teammate.

Villa fans react

@villareport relayed Percy’s claim regarding the Uruguayan on Twitter. Here is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with many excited and one labelling a potential deal as ‘amazing’.

“Signing of the window if this happens”

Credit: @timcrowe__

“Yessssssss”

Credit: @_JackAvfc

“Percy at the back post as per”

Credit: @Nathhhavfc

“Signing this lad would make this an amazing transfer window. However, it will never be as good as the one when we signed Grant Holt”

Credit: @AvfcRick

“Not too expensive that, great deal”

Credit: @ajbyrne_avfc

“PERCYYYYYYYY”

Credit: @Finleydb10

In other news: ‘Stop it’, ‘£40m’ – Many Villa fans react as David Ornstein shares ‘interesting’ transfer news

Luke Edwards has now revealed some Newcastle United transfer news involving Jamal Lewis.

The Lowdown: Left out

In an update shared from the official website of the St. James’ Park faithful on Thursday, Lewis is now one of three players to have been left out of their 25-man squad for the second half of the Premier League season.

Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden also miss out to make way for new signings Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Dan Burn.

This feels a pretty significant moment for Lewis in particular, being younger than his two teammates and hailed as ‘excellent’ and ‘so athletic’ by Eddie Howe.

The Latest: Leaving?

Taking to Twitter, The Daily Telegraph journalist Edwards has revealed that Lewis will now be going out on loan abroad, after being left out of the squad:

“I believe Jamal Lewis will be heading abroad on loan after he was left out of #nufc 25-man squad.”

Some transfer windows are still open, such as in Turkey, Switzerland and Russia.

The Verdict: Let him go

After the North East club brought in left-back Targett from Aston Villa on Transfer Deadline Day, it should now pave way for Lewis to go.

They already have cover in that position in Matt Ritchie, and Lewis needs to try and rekindle some form elsewhere now that he will not be playing top flight games.

The Northern Ireland international currently ranks in the bottom six Magpies players in terms of performance in the league so far this term, and with only five appearances made in total (WhoScored), needs to get some game time elsewhere.

He could have gone on loan to Birmingham City in the Championship, but with the domestic window now shut, going abroad is his only other option.

In other news, find out who should now be ‘fine’ for Everton after a previous ‘concern’ here!

Everton manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that he is worried about Yerry Mina following the centre-back’s injury against Newcastle on Tuesday night.

What’s the story?

Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Toffees boss said: “It’s a quad injury. We’re slightly concerned about it, but we’ll have to assess over the next few days. Obviously losing Ben the other day makes it a double-whammy in an area of the pitch where they’re two big players for us.

“We’ll have to look at ways going forward to players that come in with the way we set up to move forward. They’re big players for us, but we’ll have to try and find a way to move forward without them at least.”

Fans will be worried

Seeing the big Colombia international having to go off yet again during a game has become a bit of recurring theme for Toffees fans, with the centre-back’s injury record since arriving at Goodison Park questionable to say the least – he’s missed 28 games alone in the past couple of years.

When he has been on the pitch, he’s invariably mean the man to hold things together at the back.

Michael Ball has previously waxed lyrical about the centre-back earlier this season, saying: “Yerry Mina is fantastic. When he’s on form, he’s a monster. He just loves football, he’s always smiling, happy. He loves the fight, loves winning headers and loves a battle.

“Mina though, is probably our best centre half when he’s on form. In seven games, our points are the best in a long time at this stage of the season and Mina is key to that.”

It was no surprise then that following his first-half withdrawal, the Toffees looked far more shaky at the back against Newcastle, with The Liverpool Echo’s Adam Jones saying in his post-match player rating that he  “show(ed) promising moments in a physical battle with Chris Wood” – the Colombian won the joint-second most amount of aerial duels of any Everton player on the night despite going off in the 35th minute.

Being without Mina for the foreseeable future is a major blow to Lampard and one that will have Everton fans very worried.

Meanwhile, this Everton star let Lampard down vs Newcastle…

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster could stay put at the club beyond the summer transfer window, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

The Lowdown: Forster impressing this season

After struggling for minutes earlier in the season, the 33-year-old has impressed of late, starting six matches since the turn of the year.

Forster performed well in the hard-earned 1-1 draw at home to champions Manchester City, earning a 7.29 rating from WhoScored, and kept a clean sheet against Everton last weekend.

However, the Englishman’s current Saints deal expires at the end of this season, at which point a vital decision needs to be made regarding his future.

The Latest: Forster could stay at Southampton

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Barclay claimed that Southampton are considering extending Forster’s stay at St Mary’s.

The journalist revealed: “I wouldn’t be shocked now if he can sustain it, if there was a conversation. I’m told that could happen if he continues putting in his performances. He would have to take a wage drop, I’m not sure what he’s on, but I’m pretty sure it’s high.”

The Verdict: Worth a short-term extension?

Assuming Forster is happy to take a reduction on his £72,000-a-week salary (the joint-third highest at St Mary’s) and continue to battle for playing time, retaining his services for another season or two feels like a no-brainer for Southampton.

He boasts plenty of experience in the Premier League with 123 appearances in the division, not to mention winning six caps for England, and at 33 he is still far from old as far as goalkeepers are concerned.

If all parties can come to an agreement to keep him at the club, it would be a positive piece of business by Saints to keep hold of a proven top-level performer who has been shown plenty of trust by Ralph Hasenhuttl of late.

In other news: Saints already ‘know’ who will replace Ralph Hasenhuttl

There will be a host of bids for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: January bid

The 26-year-old is a priceless player for the Whites, with his current absence from a hamstring injury playing a big part in their unconvincing form.

Of course, West Ham made a late bid for the England star in January, but some Hammers fans suspected the offer was merely to placate their fans with a ‘we tried’ message.

Phillips continues to be linked with a move away from Elland Road in the summer, and while some reports claim he wants to sign a new contract, Brown expects more serious bids this time around.

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The Latest: Journalist expects offers

The journalist gave his thoughts to Give Me Sport:

“In terms of his future, there will definitely be clubs in for him in the summer.”

Manchester United have been linked with a £60m move in the past, and much has been made of their desperate need for a quality defensive midfielder.

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The Verdict: New deal most likely?

The thought of Leeds losing Phillips doesn’t bear thinking about for supporters, not only because of his brilliance as a player – Gareth Southgate has hailed him as ‘excellent’ – but also because of his lifelong affiliation with the club.

It still feels most likely that the England international will sign a new deal, given his loyalty to the Whites, and if he does it will arguably feel like one of the most significant moments of Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure.

It would be naive not to expect some big clubs to come in for Phillips, though, and if Leeds got relegated then the situation would become completely different.

In other news, Leeds have been offered fresh hope in their attempts to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

After seeing off Norwich City at the weekend, Liverpool face Leeds United in the Premier League on Wednesday night hoping to close the gap at the top of the table.

The Reds saw Manchester City slip to a defeat on Sunday, and know that all three points against Leeds tonight at Anfield would be another big step to really pushing this Premier League title race down to the wire.

One man who Jurgen Klopp should surely be starting against the Whites, is Thiago Alcantara.

The Spaniard has had his fair share of injury problems this season for Liverpool as he struggles to get consistent game-time under his belt – his longest run of action saw him make seven appearances in the Premier League consecutively between November and December.

However, that run illustrated signs of Thiago being back to his absolute best, with the midfielder starting in six successive games and seeing the Reds rattle off win after win – Klopp’s side scored 17 goals and conceded just twice in that time.

As per WhoScored, his average match rating of 7.08 ranks him as Liverpool’s second-best performing midfielder this season in the Premier League behind only Fabinho.

And, against Norwich when he came off the bench, the former Bayern Munich man changed the course of the game in Liverpool’s favour, completing two out of his three attempted dribbles and providing two key passes.

Speaking after his impressive cameo against the Canaries, Klopp said: “Thiago with his passing, really fresh, really relaxed, full of confidence, that helped as well. He is a good player, we just have to make sure we can keep him fit.”

And, speaking late last year, he declared: “Coming to a new club like Liverpool, in the most difficult period in all our lives, he settled really well. His family is here, he loves it here, he was in the middle of the team very quickly. He’s a really good character, really good personality and obviously a world-class player.”

With that ability to turn in tight spaces and beat the press, Thiago could be crucial to overcoming the high-intensity style Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds play with, and could give the Reds real control of the midfield.

Liverpool only had to see their rivals Manchester United cause danger numerous times in their 4-2 win at Elland Road just by sheer counter-attacking and quick passing, and Thiago certainly has the quality to pick the right pass and change the tempo of a game.

The £16m-rated star could be the man to wreak havoc against Leeds.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have suffered a major setback before Leeds…

Leeds United correspondent Beren Cross has been reacting to Jesse Marsch’s comments regarding Marcelo Bielsa.

The Lowdown: All change before Leicester

The Whites have been extremely busy off the pitch since they were last in action, with the club deciding to sack Bielsa on Sunday morning.

Marsch was swiftly announced as the Argentine’s successor and will be in the dugout for the first time against Leicester City on Saturday lunchtime.

However, it seems as if the American himself had his reservations on Leeds parting ways Bielsa, talking in his press conference at Thorp Arch on Thursday.

The Latest: Cross reacts

Cross relayed comments from Marsch, who said: “I wanted Marcelo to finish on a high note with the fans.”

The LeedsLive journalist said he was ‘amazed’ that Marsch almost wanted to convince Victor Orta he should continue with Bielsa until the end of the campaign instead of hiring him.

The Verdict: Need to hit the ground running

Marsch inherits a Leeds squad who have conceded at least three times in their last five Premier League fixtures and are just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Making the Whites harder to beat in his first month in charge could go a long way to ensuring the club remain in the Premier League, with back-to-back home games against Aston Villa and Norwich following his first game at the King Power.

Hopefully, the board will look back on their call to part ways with Bielsa as the correct one at the end of the season, but Marsch will need to hit the ground running in order for the club to pull away from the bottom three.

In other news: Graham Smyth drops worrying Leeds injury update for Marsch before Leicester. 

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting an ‘ambitious’ bid to sign Serge Gnabry, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Daily Star claim Spurs are keen on landing the Bayern Munich contract rebel as he enters the final year of his current contract at the Allianz Arena, where he is thought to be holding out for a salary of around £13m-per-year.

The Bundesliga champions won’t be held ransom by his demands, so that has alerted many teams around Europe, including the Lilywhites and Real Madrid, though it remains to be seen how much the German side would sell him for – if at all, given their track-record in letting players leave for nothing.

CIES Football Observatory currently value him in the region of £60m.

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Major coup

Whilst an ex-Arsenal player, Gnabry would be something of a coup for Spurs, should they manage to secure his signature in the coming months.

The German international struggled to make much of an impact during his time in England, eventually being sold to Werder Bremen for just £5m in 2016 but he has since emerged as one of the best wingers in Europe.

Across 168 appearances for the Bavarian giants, Gnabry has provided 63 goals and 40 assists, averaging a direct contribution once every 104 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

Spurs know too well of his ability after he absolutely tore Mauricio Pochettino’s side apart with four goals in Bayern’s 7-2 win in the Champions League back in October 2019.

His form has led to quite the praise indeed, including a particularly glowing endorsement from BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, who claimed last season:

“His stats are phenomenal. He’s sitting in the top-level, world-class. He’s come to Germany and set the place on fire, he was absolutely stunning tonight. His decision making has been extraordinary.

“I’ll go as far as to say he’s one of the most improved players in football at the moment. I don’t think anyone’s upwards trajectory is as sharp as his.”

Also lauded as a “real weapon” by his former manager Niko Kovac to Bundesliga.com, Gnabry would certainly add a new dimension to Conte’s attack and given his links to the Gunners and exploits for Bayern, he’d be quite the stunning signing for the north Londoners.

If sporting director Fabio Paratici can pull this off, it would certainly be another one of his masterclass-like swoops.

AND in other news, Contact made: Spurs in talks for “phenomenal” £33m signing, he’s better than Bremer…

Liverpool now look to set miss out on one of their transfer targets.

What’s the story?

That’s according to claims in Italy, via CaughtOffside, who claim that Renato Sanches will swerve a move to Liverpool with the 24-year-old set to make the move to AC Milan instead for around €20m with add-ons worth up to €5m.

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It had been reported in Spain that the Reds were in advanced talks to sign Sanches in January with Jurgen Klopp identifying the Portuguese star as an ideal replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, but a move never materialised.

Klopp will be fuming

Although Klopp and his players will be directing their full attention to the Premier League title race, there is no doubt that potential signings are being worked on and identified behind the scenes ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Merseyside outfit are neck-and-neck with Manchester City in the race for the title, with the Reds just one point behind Pep Guardiola’s men with four matches to go.

Naturally, winning the title will boost Liverpool’s chances of luring targets to Anfield over the summer, although, the colossal scale of the English juggernaut will make them an appealing prospect to any potential suitors.

If you were to find any weakness in Klopp’s squad (and it’s very hard), it can be argued that the midfield could do with higher quality depth.

Currently, the likes of Thiago, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho have been excellent whilst James Milner, despite being his hard-working self, is out of contract in the summer.

After the aforementioned quartet, Liverpool have Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita in their roster, with only Keita managing to surpass 30 appearances for the season.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is another whose current deal at Anfield is approaching the latter stages, with the Englishman’s contract set to expire next summer and therefore the Reds could be tempted to cash in on the 28-year-old in the upcoming window.

In Ligue 1, Sanches has averaged a 7.14/10 rating this term, a higher league rating than any of Jones (6.93), Oxlade-Chamberlain (6.86) and Keita (7.12).

Therefore, there is no doubt that the 24-year-old would’ve added quality to Liverpool’s midfield depth, something that will be essential if the Reds are to repeat this season’s colossal effort of winning the League Cup whilst reaching the FA Cup final, looking set to reach the Champions League final as well as being a hair-width away from first place in the Premier League.

Missing out on Sanches is certainly a setback and will leave Klopp fuming.

AND in other news, Liverpool now plotting £85m bid for “phenomenal” starlet, Klopp would love him…

A Tottenham Hotspur ‘source’, speaking to Football Insider, has shared some big in-house player news as the Lilywhites open talks over a new contract agreement.

The Lowdown: Big 2022/2023 looming…

Amid manager Antonio Conte’s links to the Paris-Saint Germain job, Spurs will be hoping to satisfy the Italian’s demands as he seeks to turn the club back into a Premier League force.

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Having already guided Tottenham back into top four contention, it is believed that the former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager is planning a major summer overhaul before the start of his first full 2022/2023 season.

The Telegraph claim Conte has his eye on as many as six summer signings, but according to FI, he’s also making some key decisions on current members of the Spurs squad.

The Latest: Tottenham open Sessegnon contract talks…

Indeed, the outlet claims, via a ‘Spurs source’, that the north Londoners have now ‘opened talks’ with left-wing-back Ryan Sessegnon over a new contract.

This comes after Conte’s ‘clear’ message to club ‘hierarchy’, with the 52-year-old telling Tottenham chiefs that the Englishman is a ‘huge’ talent who can become a real top flight star.

As a result, discussions are now ‘underway’ over fresh terms for Sessegnon as Spurs eye a big in-house agreement at Conte’s behest.

The Verdict: Deserved…

The former Fulham sensation has been transformed under Conte with big name pundit Gary Lineker even branding Sessegnon one of the ‘most exciting full-backs in our game’ recently (BBC via The Mirror).

The Athletic, backing Conte’s faith in the homegrown ace, recently claimed that Spurs’ head coach believes Sessegnon can catch fire and it is little surprise they have now allegedly opened new contract talks.

There is little arguing he deserves this opportunity but the only slight worry could be his spotty injury record.

That being said, if Sessegnon can move past the fitness issues and develop into a key starter week in-week out, Conte and Tottenham may have a real star for years to come based off his 21/22 performances.

In other news: Spurs ready to make major bid for ‘world-beater’ who told friends he was keen to join! Find out more here.